This year on May 5 marks 70 years since the Netherlands were liberated in WWII. This has a personal connection to me since one of my mother’s older cousins was one of the Canadian soldiers who participated in this. Canada has a special connection to the Netherlands not only because of this but also because the Dutch Royal family stayed here during the war and Princess Margriet was born here in 1943. And it’s because of this tie that we have the Tulip Festival each year in Ottawa which was inspired by a gift of 100,000 tulips from Queen Wilhelmina in thanks for giving  her family refuge. There are not many veterans of this time left so it is particularly important to hear their recollections and give thanks to them and to the ones who sacrificed their lives to rid the world of an evil regime.

If you’d like to learn more about this historical event you may want to read the book On To Victory: the Canadian liberation of the Netherlands, March 23-May 5, 1945 by Mark Zuehlke  or watch the DVD Liberation Of Holland.